Top-supporter for boots or shoes.



No. 635,034. Patented Oct. l7, I899. a. c. BEMIS.

TOP SUPPORTER FOR BOOTS 0B SHOES.

(Application filed Jan. 30, 1899.)

( No Model.)

IIII|||| m: mums PEYERS coy, PHoToumou vynsnmo'mn, u. c.

rrr crz.

GILBERT e. BEMIs, or LAOONIA, NEW HAMPSHIRE.

TOP-S UPPORTER FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming sa a of Letters Patent No. 635,034, dated October 17, 1899. Application filed January 30, 1899. smart. 703,302. woman To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GILBERT C. BEMIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Laconia, in the county of Belknap and State of New Hampshire, have invented a new and useful Top-Supporter for Boots or Shoes, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the art to which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for maintaining boot or shoe uppers in proper shape and prevent breaking down or crinkling at the ankle-top or leg portion thereof during the process of manufacstandard or jacking attachment for sustaining the last in some of the operations of shoe manufacture.

I attain these objects by mechanism the nature and operation of which are illustrated in the drawings, wherein Figure 1 represents a side view of my improved supporter as applied to use in a shoe, the shoe andlast being shown partly in section. Fig. 2 represents a top plan view of the same. Fig. 3 shows a modification in construct-ion, and Fig. 4 is a front view of an at taching device for holding in eyelet-holes.

In accordance with my invention, .Which comprises a means for effective support, as shown in Fig. 1, I provide, in combination with a last A or relast appliance, a substantially upright stem or standard-rod B, which carries an upward outwardly-springing pair of arms 0 C or lift devices furnished with gripping-jaws or suitable means at D D for attachment to the top of the ankle or leg portion E of the shoe-upper, preferably at the central front f and back Z2, and adapted for exerting thereon a thrust or yielding strain in upward and outward directions and with perjecting upward therefrom at laterally central position. The standard B can be set into the ordinary jack-spindle hole or a separate special hole can be formed therefor in'the last. A collar or slide G is arranged on the standard, andthe arms 0 O are flexibly or pivotally attached thereto at 5, said arms projecting upward and outward to greater or less degree toward the front and rear. An expanding coil-spring H is arranged beneath the eollar or slide for forcing the arms upward with a yieldingpressure, the tension of said spring being made such as will give the required de gree of force for any particular class of work. The arms can be curved or straight and carry at their upper ends the gripping-jaws'D, conmeeting-hooks D, or other suitable means for attachment to the top of the shoe. The gripping or attaching means at D D can be of any efficient and convenient construction whereby a proper hold of the arm upon the shoe may be readily secured and released. The device D for holding the back part of the upper is best made as a gripping-clamp, while that for the front part, at D, can be made either as a clamp or as a hook (see Fig. 4:) to enter the top eyelet-holes e, or, again, as with loops to engage with lacing-studs, accordingly as the shoes on which the device is intended to be used are buttoned, laced, or studded at their; front.

The lengthof the stem B and arms C O and the throw of the spring H can be made more or less than herein shown when desired, ac-

cordingly as the instrument is intended for use in boots or shoes having very high leg or moderately-high ankle portion. The spring will serve for the holding or jacking of the work at various stages of'the shoe manufacture, thus avoiding the necessity of crushing the leg portion of the upper down upon the jacking mechanism.

When designed for employment in connection with a pneumatically-inflated last or relast appliancesuch, for instance, as that described in my other application of even date herewiththe stem B can be made to serve as the air-induction tube for the inflation of the last-body and is then provided with a check-valve therein. Such construction is indicated by dotted lines at n on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 shows a modification in construction, wherein the arms are joined by a cross-bar G that passes through a longitudinal slot S, formed in the standard B, while the spring H is arranged within the standard, or, if preferred, such spring may be on the exterior thereof and the standard can be made solid or non-tubular. In thismodification the two arms can both be formed of a single piece of wire or metal, the arms having a certain degree of resilience to give greater orless spread at the top.

In the operation, the stem B being in position in the last A and the last within the shoe E, the spring H is pressed down sufficiently to permit the clamps D or hooks D to be attached. Said clamps and hooks are then secured to the top part of the leg or anofthe arms exerts a strain upon the upper upwardly and outwardly in the directions indicated by arrows, Fig. 1, thus holding the top or ankle portion E extended and spread with its sides practically smooth and closely against the sides of the supporter. (See Fig. 2.) The supporteris inclosed almost entirely within the shoe, so that it does not interfere with the'handling of the shoe in the works. The stem maintains uprightrelation, while the spring and outward swing of the arms acting within the shoe to impart a yielding but suflicient force to keep the ankle or leg portion extended and prevent it from folding or dropping over to one side at the top of the last or becoming wrinkled as the shoes are handled or stacked up in piles during the operation of their manufacture. The supporter can be readily removed by relieving the strain and releasing the attachments at D and D.

By dotted lines at L on Fig. 1 I have indicated a way in which the supporter and its elevating-spring can be made in a single piece and applied to a last or relast appliance for the support of the top of the shoe-upper.

I claim as my invention- 1. A supporter for the purpose specified, comprising a pair of upwardly and outwardly directed arms provided at their ends with means for attachment to the top portion of the shoe-upper, said arms mounted upon a rod or centrally-disposed stem, the end of which is adapted for insertion within a hole formed in a last, for sustaining said supporter in standing position within the shoe.

2. The combination with a last, of a topsupporter secured in or upon the last to occupy a standing position within the shoe, and having means for holding the top edge of the upper, said supporter-maintaining the leg or ankle portion of the upper extended by upward or outward thrust of said supporter, substantially as set forth.

3. Ashoe-topsupportercomprisingastandard adapted for insertion in a last, and provided with an upwardly directed springpressed arm or yielding member having, at the extremity thereof, means for attachment to and detachment from the top of the ankle or leg portion of a shoe-upper, and adapted for giving a yielding or resilient action, for the purpose set forth.

4. A supporter comprising a standard or stem, a slide member movable longitudinally in connection therewith, a pair of arms fiexi bly connected to said slide, gripping or attaching devices on said arms, and a spring upwardly acting against said slide, for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination, with a last, of an upright standard, its end supported in said last, upwardly fureated or projecting arms in movable connection with said standard, means at the ends of said arms for securing the same to the top of the upper, and means for elevating the arms.

6. The combination, with a last, of a tubular standard having an end adapted for entering a hole in said last, and at its other end a tubular portion with an opening adapted for the reception of a jack-spindle, the upwardly and outwardly extended arms movably connected with said standard, attaching devices on said arms for connection and disconnection thereof with a shoe-upper, and a spring normally elevating said arms.

Witness my hand this 20th day of January, 1899.

GILBERT O. BEMIS.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. BURLEIGH, ELLA P. BLENUS. 

